Current situation

Fetcham is currently unparished. The Residents’ Association does not have statutory status and cannot raise funds via Council Tax. It is also not bound by the Nolan standards on conduct in public life.

Proposed change

The initial round of consultation generated a small response with mixed results, so Mole Valley decided to put the proposal for a Parish Council to residents in the second consultation. The proposal is to create a new Parish Council with 13 councillors; there would be two wards corresponding to the boundaries between the two new Unitary Council wards. 

Issues to consider

• Representation
  • The area of Bookham, Fetcham & Leatherhead is currently covered by 17 elected councillors – two County councillors and 15 District Councillors. With a Unitary Council, this would be cut to 4. Recent Boundary Reviews mean that Fetcham itself is split between wards at both County and District level, so there are no current councillors who represent the whole of Fetcham.
  • They provide support for residents, not just in their dealings with the Councils but also with other local service providers, such as police, health, housing associations, water companies, etc.
  • Would you like to see elected Parish Councillors so that disadvantaged and vulnerable residents in our area can continue to call on a similar level of support?
• Assets in the community
  • Local community assets in Fetcham include the Cock Lane, Kennel Lane & Cannon Court Recreation Grounds; as well as the Leisure Centre, there are various sports facilities managed by local clubs – Gymnastics, Cricket, Football & Padel, and the Tennis Club at Cannon Court.
  • A Parish Council would be able to consider whether it could manage some of these more effectively to meet local needs, rather than by a remote Unitary Council covering half a million people.
• Discretionary Services
  • These include the Fairfield Day Centre, the employment hub in the Swan Centre (both nearby in Leatherhead) and support for local charities, such as the Community Hub and Citizens Advice.
  • A Parish Council would be able to reflect any demand by local residents to support additional community activities and prioritise delivery by local suppliers who know the area. 
  • A Parish Council would also control the Neighbourhood element of any Community Infrastructure Levy raised on new developments, ensuring that these funds are spent on local priorities.
• Cost
  • The Parish Council would be funded by a charge raised as part of the Council Tax and initial estimates are that this is likely to start at between £20 and £80 per year

Local Liberal Democrats believe that, especially under a more remote Unitary Council, communities would generally benefit from having elected, accountable Parish Councils. 

We also note that all other English Unitary Councils outside major urban areas have ensured they have Civil Parishes across their entire area.  

Given the mixed responses from the small sample in the initial consultation, it is really important that the views of as many electors as possible are considered. So we encourage all residents to review the arguments on both sides and reply to the consultation. 

Give us your views